Feinberg Projects 63 Emmy Races With The Pitt, Hacks and Beef Leading

Q: With HBO leading Emmy nominations, can rivals Apple TV or Netflix stage an upset for the night's biggest awards?

Yes, but HBO Max remains the clear favorite for the top prizes. The strongest evidence is in the headline categories. Scott’s forecast has HBO Max’s *The Pitt* leading Best Drama Series and *Hacks* leading Best Comedy Series, while HBO Max also led all platforms with 122 nominations. *The Pitt* alone scored 25 nods and *Hacks* 24, giving HBO both breadth and depth with voters heading into the Aug. 17-26 final voting window. Apple TV has the best upset path in comedy and possibly drama. It posted a record 87 nominations, with *Widow’s Bay* and *Pluribus* emerging as serious contenders. Scott ranks *Pluribus* second in drama behind *The Pitt*, and *Widow’s Bay* and *Shrinking* are close behind *Hacks* in comedy. Apple also has strong acting prospects, including Matthew Rhys for comedy actor and Rhea Seehorn for drama actress, which could signal broader support. Netflix’s best chance at a marquee win looks strongest in limited series, not the two biggest series races. *Beef* is the projected winner for Best Limited or Anthology Series, and Oscar Isaac is favored for lead actor there. In drama, Netflix’s *The Diplomat* is in the mix but trails *The Pitt* and *Pluribus*. So an upset is plausible, especially from Apple in comedy or drama and from Netflix in limited series. But based on nominations strength and current forecasts, HBO Max enters the Emmys as the platform most likely to control the night’s biggest awards.

Q: Can HBO's record-setting 'Hacks' win in its final season against Apple TV's breakout hit 'Widow's Bay'?

Yes. Based on the nominations and Scott’s forecast, HBO Max’s *Hacks* is the slight favorite to beat Apple TV+’s *Widow’s Bay* in comedy, but it is far from a lock. *Hacks* has the strongest overall Emmy case. It set a comedy-series record with 24 nominations in its fifth and final season, giving it broad support across the Academy. Scott projects it to win Outstanding Comedy Series, and Jean Smart is again the expected winner for lead actress after already dominating that category for four seasons. The “final season” factor could also help, since Emmy voters often reward a beloved show on its way out. But *Widow’s Bay* is the most serious challenger. Apple TV+ scored a company-best year, and *Widow’s Bay* landed 19 nominations, an exceptional total for a freshman comedy. It also has momentum as the season’s breakout hit, with Matthew Rhys projected to win lead actor. Its showing is even more notable because its final three episodes, including the acclaimed finale, were not eligible this cycle, suggesting its full strength may not yet be reflected. The race likely comes down to legacy versus freshness. *Hacks* has the deeper Emmy history, wider nomination footprint and a powerful farewell narrative. *Widow’s Bay* has newer buzz and strong cross-category support. Right now, the evidence favors *Hacks* narrowly, but *Widow’s Bay* is close enough that an upset would not be surprising.

2 articles · Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Jul 9

Less than six weeks before final Emmy voting opens Aug. 17-26, Scott Feinberg’s first post-nominations forecast puts The Pitt atop drama, Hacks first in comedy and Beef leading limited or anthology series.
The rankings follow Wednesday’s nomination reveal in more than 100 Primetime Emmy categories, where Feinberg said The Pitt, Hacks, Widow’s Bay and Beef overperformed while The Bear, Love Story and The Amazing Race fell short.
The Pitt also dominates below the line and acting races, with Noah Wyle projected to win drama actor and the HBO Max series favored in directing, casting and multiple supporting categories.
Apple TV shows broad strength across the 63-category forecast, placing Pluribus second for drama, Widow’s Bay second for comedy and Shrinking as a major acting contender.
The forecast is an early snapshot rather than advocacy, with campaigns now intensifying before Television Academy voters cast final ballots later in August.